Category: finding your zen

Virga Joy (or the Adventures of El Colonel De Corona)

Written by Douglas Kimball Publisher Description Colin Campbell is developing the first black pepper plantation in the West Indies. His days are spent clearing jungle, planting and fighting vipers. His nights are spent playing jazz piano at a local bar and enjoying the company of the local ladies. He meets Alan Greene at a jazz … Continue reading Virga Joy (or the Adventures of El Colonel De Corona) →

Where Has All The Fashion Gone?

This post has been entirely inspired by Hyp's Skirting The Issue. After a recent trip to Naples, I discovered Nordstrom's has gone out of business and the assortment in the local Saks store is meager at best. As a former employee of Saks, I always felt comfortable shopping there because I knew the people and … Continue reading Where Has All The Fashion Gone? →

Discover My Adopted Home Town, Chiang Rai, Thailand Redux

In other words, some of you will have seen this OP before. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not the larger and better known city of Chiang Mai, but Chiang Rai, in Northern Thailand deserves your attention. I am a retired USMC infantry officer and have seen more than a few interesting places, some of which I even liked. One … Continue reading Discover My Adopted Home Town, Chiang Rai, Thailand Redux →

North Star

There is but one immutable guiding light. Forever fixed in the heavens - it does not, cannot rise or set. The North Star is the pilgrims guide to knowledge. Follow your beacon without fear through good and bad. If you remain steadfast and humble in seeking wisdom, she will lead to peace, love, meaning, purpose, … Continue reading North Star →

Preface: LtCol S.x MacTemplar -Shadow Warrior

Where to begin? It seems that war is just too big of a topic for Hollywood to handle in 90-110 minutes. Go figure. I know I can’t do it justice in 300-plus pages, either, but it will be more accurate than anything Hollywood can dish up. I suspect what people want from Hollywood is to … Continue reading Preface: LtCol S.x MacTemplar -Shadow Warrior →

Winning the Peace (Ch. 4)

Winning the Peace (WTP and/or WP – Willy Pete?), and the FAOs in the program are organized within each partner nation similarly to an infantry platoon reinforced. Platoon commander (O-5), platoon sergeant (E-8), corpsman, radio telephone operator (RTOs), squad leaders (O-4), fire team leaders (O-3), and grunts (enlisted advisors). The total number of individuals deployed … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 4) →

Winning the Peace (Ch. 3)

Past being prologue, it is not likely that either the Department of State or CIA is going to beat back the onslaught of Salafism. The intent here is to provide leadership with a notion of the type of Foreign Area Officer (FAO) required to develop and implement strategy. The current “strategy,” whatever it may be, … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 3) →

ÂĄNow It’s La Migra!

 Now It’s La Migra! I would have never known that the rogue OIJ agent was the brother of the local thug/bodyguard if he hadn’t revealed that important fact to me while also threatening me with major bodily harm. He also got in some screaming allegations that my mother worked in the world’s oldest profession and … Continue reading ÂĄNow It’s La Migra! →

Discover My Adopted Home Town, Chiang Rai, Thailand Redux

In other words, some of you will have seen this OP before. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not the larger and better known city of Chiang Mai, but Chiang Rai, in Northern Thailand deserves your attention. I am a retired USMC infantry officer and have seen more than a few interesting places, some of which I even liked. One … Continue reading Discover My Adopted Home Town, Chiang Rai, Thailand Redux →